..... The aircraft was lined up in the
crosshairs and Gibson’s finger pulled back on the trigger. An iron-hard fist hit the side of his head,
knocking him to the concrete sidewalk. Simon Blake, the Guardian, stood over his prone form...... “My people are on that plane!” Guardian stated through clinched teeth...... Before another word could be said, Darkness moved. He seemed impossibly
fast as he flowed toward the white-faced man. Guardian's back slammed hard against the brick wall and his
arms were pinned by an inhuman force hidden within the depths of the dark cloak. Darkness' face, a terrible,
grimacing mask, was inches away from Blake's, and his eyes seemed to glow with crimson fire. Blake could feel
the cold, hard barrel of a .45 caliber automatic pressed against the soft skin of his exposed neck. ..... Darkness spit angry words at him through tightly clinched teeth. “We're fighting
a war here. In war, there are casualties.”..... “Those people in that plane aren't casualties, they are my friends!” Blake's
emotionless face showed no signs of concern for his own safety. He continued. “Is this what it will come to?!
Friend against friend?! Killing each other?! Damn it, we're on the same side! Doc's right, Gibson,
you're out of control!”..... Darkness slowly released his grip and Blake dropped to the ground. Darkness'
face was completely hidden in the dim illumination of the alleyway. Only his blazing red eyes burned through the
shadows. There was a moment of silence between the two old friends...... Darkness finally spoke. “You and I fight crime in very different ways, Blake.
I do not believe in allowing dangerous criminals to escape. I will continue this battle on my own terms. Do not
interfere again.” Darkness backed away and the shadows seemed to embrace his form...... Blake started to reply and realized he was standing alone in the filthy alleyway.
Darkness had vanished from sight. There was no laughter or prophetic announcement about crime. The bodies of two
dozen men lay scattered in the streets or consumed in the fiery blaze of the burning vehicles. Perhaps Darkness was
correct about this being a war. ..... Scorpion was casually strolling through the carnage, placing his scorpion emblem
on the foreheads of every dead gangster he could find, whether he had shot them or not. Finally, he calmly walked
up to Simon Blake...... Scorpion smiled. “God, I love this job.” Realizing Blake was disturbed about his
recent confrontation with Darkness, he continued. “Don't be concerned, we're probably better off without him.”..... “Perhaps, but I have a feeling before this is all over, we'll wish he was
with us.” Blake stated ominously.